Brickmaking-machine.



F. E. FLACK.

BRICKMAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAII. 5. I9I5.

1,149,747. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. E. FLACK.

ICKMAKING MACHINE.

L ATION FILED MAR. 5, 1915 coLuMmA PLANoGR/vn co..\v^smN CA FRED E. FLACK. or URsA, ILLINOIS.

BnIoKMAKING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Application mea March '5, 1515. "semina 12,555.

To all 'whom timmy' concern." y

Be it known'that I, FRED E. Fnaoij 'a citizen of the United States, 'residing at Ursa, in the county of Adams and State Vof Illinois, have invented a nen7V and useful Bi'ickinakingMachine, of which the fpllvv` ing is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is adapted to be employed in the making of concrete bricks althigh articles other than bricks mayv be manu'- factered in the structure therein disclosed.

The invention aims to provide a novel mech` anism which, being reciprocated, travels be= neath a scraping or trvveling means and a compressing means', both of which means coact With the material in the mold.

Another object of the invention is to pro*- vide novel means 'whereby the mold may be moved readily from a reciprocating carriage by' simply trundling the mold supporting auxiliary carriage off the main carriage onto an auxiliary track.

Another object of the invention is to pro'- vide novel means for reciprocating the' main Carriage. K

A further objectr of the invention is to improve the Construction of those' elements which serve to scrape, trowel down and com'- press the aggregate With respect to the mold.

It is Within the scope of the disclosure to improve generally and Yto enhance the utility of devices of that type to Which the present invention appertains'. r

lVith the above and other objects in viewv which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides inthe combina' tion and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterr described and claimed, it being understood that the changes in thev precise embodiment of the invention herein ,disclosed can be made Within the scope of what is claimed, Without de# parting from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying kdran"ing'js :#Figure l shoivs the invention side' elevation, parts being brokenaway; Fig. 2 is la transverse section;l Fig. 3 is a perspective disclosing the housing' or casing in Which the pressure roller is located; Fig. 4 is a transverse sec= tion tal'r'en through the pressure roller and its'housingor casing; Fig. 5 is a perspective showing one of the bearings; Fig. 6 is a fragmental vertical section of the structure shoWn in Figs. 3 and 4; F ig. 7 is a perspective shtving one vof the mold forming elements; Fig. 8 is' a yperspective showing another of the 'mold forming elements; Fig. 9 1s a fragniental top plan of the mold; l

In 'carryingI out the "ifirese'nt invention there is provided a 'supporting'structure de# noted generally by the numeral l and emibodying a inain ltrack 2. .The supporting structure includes auxiliary tracks 3 and Il, the tracks being spaced from each other at a considerable distance and being elevated above the main track 2.

The invention comprises a reciprocating main carriage 5 provided with IWheels 6 adapted to traverse the main track 2, the main carriage 5 being mounted to move to-` ward and away from the auxiliary tracks 3 and l. The main carriage 5 is provided with a longitudinally extended track 7 and supported on the main carriage between the constituent. rails of the track 7 is a drip pan 8. f

An auxiliary Acarriage is mounted to reciprocate at times With the main carriage 5 and at times is adapted to move upon the main carriage, the auxiliary carriage being denoted by the reference character 9. The auxiliary carriage 9 is provided vvith Wheels 10 adapted to traverse the track 7 on the main carriage 5.

Although the Weight of the auxiliary carriage and parts carried thereby ordinarily is suflicient to prevent the auxiliary carriage from moving on the main carriage during the reciprocation of the latter', any suitable and simple means may be provided for positively preventing the auxiliary carriage from moving on the main carriage When the latter is reciprocated. For thispurpose, the main carriage 5 4may carry movable dogs l1 y adapted to coact with the Wheels 10 of the auxiliary carriage V9. y

Mounted upon the auxiliary carriage 9 is a mold Which maybe of'any desired form. The mold, denoted by the numeral l2is in the present instance shown as being removable and collapsible, the mold comprising base strips 14 having upstanding cross walls 15, division strips 16 located between the base strips 14 and coacting with the cross walls 14, end walls 17, and side walls 18, any suitable means indicated conventionally at 19 being employed for holding the mold in operative condition.

Presupposing that the structure is to be employed in the making of concrete bricks, it will be noted that the mold above described is so fashioned that it comprises a plurality of cells, in each of which-a brick is adapted to be formed.

Fixed to and rising from the sides of the supporting structure 1 are standards 20 having openings or slots 20a in which are mounted for vertical reciprocation but against rotation, rectangular1 bearings 21 having journaling openings 22. The bearings 21 are depressed yieldingly by means of springs 23, the lower ends of which engage the bearings, the upper ends of which are engaged by hand screws 24 or other suitable adjusting means mounted in the upperv 29 which are mounted for rocking move-y ment in the openings 22 of the bearings 21. In order that the casing 28 may be rocked l in the bearings 21, the casing is provided with a lever 30, and in order to hold the casing in adjusted positions, the lever 30 carries a latch mechanism 31 of any desired sort adapted to coperate with the segment 27.

Secured adjustably to each longitudinal edge of the casing 28 is a vertically adjustable scraper 32.

The invention includes a pair of outstanding trowels 33 having upstanding flanges 34 bearing against the Scrapers 32. Securing devices of any desired sort, indicated at 35, pass through the flanges 34 of the trowels 33 through the Scrapers 32 and engage with the casingy 28. In order to provide for a vertical adjustment of the Scrapers 32 and the trowels 33, these elements are equipped with elongated vertical slots 3G clearly shown in Fig. 3 and coperating with the securing devices 35 to bring about the result above mentioned.

Located partly within the contour of the casino' 28 and shielded thereby is a pressure roller 25 having trunnions 26 which are journaled in the tubular shafts 29 of the casing 28.

To one of the trunnions 26 of the pressure roller 25 is secured asprocket wheel 37 about which is trained a sprocket chain 38 engaged around a sprocket wheel 39 secured to one end of a shaft 40 journaled in the standards 20.

It is contemplated that the shaft 40 shall be rotated lirst in one direction and then in an opposite direction, but since there are many mechanisms known in the mechanical art for producing the result above mentioned, no specific means to the end in view is shown.

Secured to the shaft 40 and preferably located adjacent the longitudinal center of the supporting structure is a drum 41.

A flexible element 42 is given a turn or two around the drum 41 and is passed about idlers 43 j ournaled on the supporting structure 1.

The extremities of the flexible element 42 are secured to the main carriage 5 as indicated at 44.

The operation of the structure isk as follows'z-The auxiliary carriage 9 in the lirst instance is located either on the auxiliary track 3 or the auxiliary track 4. While the carriage is thus positioned, the mold 12 is set up on the vplatform portion of the carriage. The main carriage 5 then is moved along the track 2 until the track 7 is adjacent the auxiliary track 3 kupon which it will be presupposed that the auxiliary carriage 9 is located. Then theauxiliary car riage 9 is trundled off the track 3 onto the track 7 of the main carriage 5. By rotating the shaft 40 in opposite directions, the main carriage 5 through the medium of the flexible element 42 will be reciprocated on the main track 2 and with it will reciprocate the auxiliary carriage 9, the latter being held against movement with respect to the main carriage by means of the dogs 11 should such an operation be found necessary. VVhen the function of the combined scraping and troweling means has been explained it will be obvious that when the carriages 9 and 5 are reciprocated, the material in the mold 12 will be smoothed off and be finished on its upper surface. After this finishing operation has been completed the carriage 9 may be wheeled off the carriage 5 onto the track 4 or the track 3, the carriage 5 first having been disposed adjacent that track upon which the auxiliary carriage is to be wheeled.

Passing to a description of the mechanism whereby the material is worked and finished it will be understood that the function of the springs 23 is to depress the bearings 21 and with them the pressure roller 25, the latter bearing upon the upper surface of the aggregate in the mold 12. The tension of the springs 23 may be adjusted by means of the hand wheels 24. The pressure roller 25 is actuated by a gear train comprising the shaft 40, the sprocket wheel 39, the sprocket chain 38, the sprocket wheel 37 and the trunnion 2G of the pressure roller.

By means of the lever 30, the casing 28 and consequently the trowels 33 andthe scrapers 32 may be tilted, so that these elements will cooperate*properlywith the material during both strokes of the main carriage 5. The trowel 33 and the scraper 82 may be held in adjusted positionswith respect to the top of the mold 12 byl engaging the latch mechanism 31 with the segment 27.

The material in the mold 12 first is compressed by the yieldingly depressed. ,pressure roller 25, excess material is heldI back and scraped away by the element 32 and subsequently a finishing stroke is given to the upper surface of the material by the trowel 33 which may be resilient.

One advantage in using two superposed trucks is that the driving means, represented by the flexible elements 42, `remain permanently connected `with the main truck and do not have to be detached and reattached, as would be the case if but one truck or wheel mounted mold were used. rlhe two superposed trucks are much heavier than the striking or troweling mechanism. Consequently, when the trucks are moved, the same proceed steadily and the operation is much more uniform than is the case when the striking or troweling mechanism, being relatively light, is moved with respect to the truck.

.Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is l. In a device of the class described, a main track; a main carriage mounted to move on the main track; means for reciprocating the main carriage; an auxiliary carriage mounted to move on the main carriage and to move with the main carriage; a mold on the auxiliary carriage; an auxiliary track adapted to receive the auxiliary carriage from the main carriage when the auxiliary carriage is moved with respect to the main carriage; and a relatively fixed material engaging means coacting with the mold when the auxiliary carriage moves within the main carriage.

2. ln a device of the class described, a main track; a main carriage mounted to reciprocate on the main track; a mold mounted to move with the main carriage; a doubleedged trowel; means for supporting the trowel intermediate its edges for tilting movement; and means for tilting the trowel to cause the edge portions thereof to come respectively into engagement with the mold as the carriage and the mold are reciprocated.

In a device of the class described, a track; a carriage mounted to move along the track; a mold mounted to move with the carriage; a roller coacting with the mold; means for supporting the roller for rotation; mechanism for rotating the roller; mechanism for moving the carriage; and means for operating both of said mechanisms simultaneously.

4f. In a device of the class described, a track; a carriage mounted to move along the track; a mold mounted to move with the carriage; a roller coacting with the mold; means for supporting the roller for rotation; a shaft, means for supporting the shaft for rotation; means for operatively connecting the shaft with the carriage to move the carriage; and means fory operatively connecting the shaft with the roller to rotate the roller.

5. In a device of the class described, a supporting structure including a track; a carriage mounted to move along the track; a mold mounted to move with the carriage; a roller coacting with the mold; means for supporting the roller for rotation; a shaft journaled in the supporting structure; means for operatively connecting the shaft with the roller; a flexible element engaged with the shaft and secured to the carriage, the iiexible element being formed into oppositely extended loops; and spaced elements upon the supporting structure, about which elements the loops are engaged.

6. ln a device of the class described, a track; a carriage mounted to move along the track; a mold movable with the carriage; means for moving the carriage; a roller coacting with the mold; a casing in which the roller is journaled; means for supporting the casing tiltably; and material engaging means carried by the casing and coacting with the mold when the casing is tilted.

7. In a device of the class described, a supportin0` structure; a carriage mounted to reciprocate on the supporting structure; a mold mounted to move with the carriage; standards mounted on the supporting structure; bearings mounted to move in the standards; means for supporting the bearings yieldingly; a casing including tubular shafts journaled in the bearings; a roller comprising elements journaled in the tubular shafts and housed by the casing; means for rocking the casing in the bearings; a releasable connection between the said means and one bearing; and a material engaging means carried by the casing and coacting with the mold.

8. In a device ofthe class described, a supporting structure; a carriage mounted to move along the supporting structure; a mold mounted to move with the carriage; standards constituting a part of the supporting structure; bearings vertically movable in the standards; a casing comprising tubular shafts journaled in the bearings; a

roller coacting with the `mold and comprisi ing trunnions journaled in the tubular shafts; a material engaging element coacting with the mold and carried by the casing; a lever connected with the casing; a segment on one bearing; a latch mechanism on the .ges 1,149,747

lever and coaetng with the segment; a as my oWn, I havehereto axed my signashaft journaled n the supporting structure; ture in the presence of two Witnesses. means for operatively connecting the shaft FRED E FLACK with the carriage to move the carriage; and means for operatively connecting the shaft with the roller to rotate the roller.

n testimony that I claim the foregoing Witnesses:

JOHN VAN DYKE, J. T. RUDDELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents` Washington, D. C. 

